It was young Shinobu Manami's first week at Chikushi High. She had come to expect to moving to new places since that was the nature of her father's work. So far it had been a rather odd week for her. Many students seemed to be getting sick for no apparent reason.

A teacher down over in Homeroom 101 was writing attendance on the chalk board when a young woman fell out of her desk.

However, soon more and more students were falling over. Manami looked around in shook at the events unfolding before her. She then felt her arm go numb. She tried shaking it. Nothing worked. Nanami then shook her head, it had gotten all dizzy. Closing her eyes, she fell into an easy sleep...

"Gahahrahrhahahaha."

"Huh?" Manami said as she woke up.

She looked around, no one else was in the room besides for her.

"Gahahrahrhahahaha."

There the weird noise was again. She was nervous now. Was this this some kind of twisted joke? Manami then ran over towards the window to see where everyone else was...Her next sight was like something out of a horror film.

"Gahahrahrhahahaha."

Manami was about to scream, when she felt her mouth get covered by a hand wearing a soft black leather glove.

"Quiet. You're going to attract the attention of the Ul-dah. And trust me, that son of a bitch is always hungry."

Owlmageddon comes. Ò◇Ó

Attract the attention of the Uh-duh? What the devil was that? Manami almost screamed anyway, but she was shuffled away from the window. Keeping her mouth shut she swatted at her captive several times until she was released! She hopped backwards and ran herself behind a desk to use as a shield.

There was a guy... a weird looking guy! But... he kinda looked like one of her classmates, only dressed for a play in drama club or something. Dude, how long was she asleep?!

"Oooh, I get it. I slept through, like... all my classes! Did you want me to clear out for a drama meeting, or something?" That thing outside must be someone else in costume!

The student standing before her was a young man that was named Takahashi Daiki. He had messy black hair and looked like any other non-conformist student at the high school.

"However, you have to take me seriously if you want to get out of here alive."

He the pointed at the window. Manami looked out to see the city beyond the school appear distorted. Even the sun appeared like it had come out of some kind of Picasso
painting.

"I know this is going to be hard to take in but just hear me out. You are no longer on the Earth you know. Since you've woken up, it means you are probably one of the Oimeri...I'll explain more about what that means later on. We don't have much time to spare before that fucker outside smells you."

Daiki then grabbed Manami by the arm and started running out of the classroom!

Owlmageddon comes. Ò◇Ó

Whoa. They really took their acting seriously? Manami wasn't sure if she should play along or not. But with Daiki tugging her off, there wasn't much choice. Looking at her watch it was... 12:20? It couldn't be past midnight, it was still daylight outside! Darn thing had to be broken.

"I'm an onigiri? What kind...?" Wasn't that a fish?

"Oh hey! I remember who you are now! You're that guy, Doikee! Hotaru is always talking about your butt- oh, wait, I wasn't supposed to tell you that. I mean, she thinks you're pretty cool."

Daiki rolled his eyes and the coughed. "You do realize your Japanese is total crap right?" He spoke in English. He then stopped running once he reached the middle of the school, letting go of Manami's arm he crouched down and pulled out a piece of white chalk and started writing symbols that looked somewhat like a fusion of Arabic and Japanese.

"Okay. We should be safe for the next few hours until I can call for reenforcement from my allies."

He then reached into one of his pockets and tossed Manami an apple.

"You said onigiri... That'd make you a piece of rice and fish thing rich people like. I said Oimeri. I believe the Americans use the slang close but no cigar, in cases like these."

He continued to work on the runes, "The Oimeri is a meaningless word that us survivors give to people that wake up from the Illnesses. I can tell you more, if you wish but it really is a lot of information to take in."

Daiki then placed the chalk back in his pocket, "And my name is Daiki, not Doikee."

Owlmageddon comes. Ò◇Ó

"Oh, sorry. I'm trying really hard and stuff, but some of the words are like... so confusing!" she was flipping back and forth between English words and Japanese words. She really, really needed to practice speaking proper!

Manami dropped the apple back and forth in her hands as she leaned over to see what he was writing all over the place. Graffiti! Well, it was chalk so it would all wash out, but it looked like gang signs or something. She didn't think gangs were bad here in Japan.

"Okay, so what's the play all about? Like demons and sleepy students...? Where's the rest of the cast? Oh! I don't actually have to be IN the play, right? Cause I have major bad stage fright and stuff!"

Daiki rolled his eyes. "Why do I always get stuck with the eccentric ones?" He thought to himself.

Once again digging through his many pockets, he pulled out a cigarette and lit it up. "I'd recommend sitting down. It'll take them a while to get here since I just wrote all the runes."

He then exhaled a large puff of smoke, "Ah, that hits the spot. You'll learn quickly to enjoy the little things in life..."

Daiki's right eye then looked up at Manami, "The rest of the cast will show up sooner or later. And no, since your new to this 'play' we won't expect you to do much. As for the plotline of this play, it is simple. The sleepy students that wake up inadvertently become involved in a perpetual war between forces of balance and imbalance in existence."

Owlmageddon comes. Ò◇Ó

"That's like... super complicated for a school play!" This would be a fun experience. She might even make some new friends with the drama club people. Manami had thought about joining the fashion club, but her grades had been sooooo bad at the start of the year, her parents didn't want her getting distracted.

When he lit up the ciggy, she plucked it out of his mouth to drop on the ground and put it out. "Daikiiii, you know smoking is really bad for you and against school policy! I don't think they'd even allow it for a play!" Manami was about to give him a list about how bad smoking stuff was when-

"Oh wait, I don't think I can be in this play. If I don't get back home at the right time, my parents are going to flip out on me."

"Yeah, it kind of is. We use state of the art digital computer programming." He lied. Daiki generally didn't like lying but with the case of this girl, he could make his exceptions...She seemed fairly obvlious to her surroundings and the longer he kept her from knowing the truth that her family had probably been absorbed by demons the better. The reason why she survived was because she was a Oimeri. Her soul could withstand the powers of the demons...

Daiki then blinked when Manami pulled the cigarette from his mouth. "Oi vey. There are two rules I have. 1. Never, remove my smokes...."

Her one track mind was going to be very useful to him indeed.

"I see." Daiki said. He then pulled the mask off that covered the left eye and all the suddenly the world around them suddenly changed back to the way it was. Students were roaming around chatting. He was still sitting down but this time near some lockers, Manami was still standing next to him.

"Alright. You have a half hour to tell your parents. I'll wait right here."

Daiki had a limited power to cause "breaks" between realities. He figured the young woman's parents wouldn't be thrilled to have a young man coming home with her. He just hoped she'd keep her time commitment. He really didn't want to save her from the Ul-dah. It was locked in the parallel world for now but not forever.

Owlmageddon comes. Ò◇Ó

Whoa! Awesome special effects indeed! Wait, were these all real students or was this the special effect students? She stood there confused a minute, before she finally nodded and dashed off.

Manami kept an eye on her watch and as tried to run home as fast as she could. Grrrr! This was why she needed a bicycle! Her time limit was halfway over and she had JUST reached her house! Man, she really wanted to be a part of drama club, though. It seemed like a lot of fun.

"Mommy! Papafaaace!"

"What are you doing home at this hour? It's only lunch time!" was her father. It was one of his rare off days, and he looked pretty surprised to be looking up from his video game to see Manami back from school so early.

"Really?" she replied, checking out the home clock. "Oh, man. I guess my watch isn't wrong after all. Duh, I just came home to ask if it's okay that I join drama club and stay home after school! Someone invited me today and it was SOOOO fun!"

Her father scoffed and shook his head. "No, no, no! I saw your grades last week. No clubs, no boys, no shopping until I see better grades."

"But Paaappaaaa!" For the next fifteen minutes they bickered back and forth about it. Maybe even included some yelling. In the end, Manami was totally screwed. He made her recite a paper in Japanese and she botched it so badly, that he totally refused until her language was better. Then he told her to get back to school before she was grounded!

Manami was now trudging back to school, so disappointed. Not only did she run out of time to get back ANYWAY but even if she did get there, she wasn't allowed to join. It was so unfair!

Daiki stood near the front of the school, with his hands in his pockets.

"Excuse me, but are you a student here?" A teacher asked him.

"Something like that." He responded.

"But why aren't you in your classes?"

Daiki didn't respond right away, "Sir, it is simple. This world, everything about it is a lie. You are merely a shadow kept in balance until the Bosses decide to patch up the damage caused by the Youma. I have no point in learning human affairs for I am no longer one of you."

"That is certainly enough out of you! I shall call your parents for this disrespectful behavior."

"Do as you see fit." Daiki said.

The teacher was about to smack him but then faded away, unaware he was disappearing.

"I hope that girl gets her ass here soon. Her time's almost up..."

Manami continued to make her way back towards the school, seemingly unaware of the grave danger that she was in.

""Gahahrahrhahahaha."

Right behind her stood the Ul-dah. In Japanese folklore, he was called Nyoijizai, the skeletal monster with giant arms.

"Goddammit it all!" Daiki said as he heard the monster bellow.

The creatures of the parallel world were called Yōkai, meaning monster or demon. No one really knew when their sudden expansion or why it had occurred in the first place. Daiki's mission was to find out why. However, whenever he got close to finding out an answer more questions popped up and now he had to babysit the transfer student until his fellow demon hunters would show up and take her to the Organizations.

Daiki then came running towards Manami, "Come on! We have to get on the move again. Unless you are really in the mood to see me kick some demonic ass..."

Owlmageddon comes. Ò◇Ó

Manami first greeted Daiki with a big warm smile, before it quickly faded to a sulk. "I can't. My papa said I can't do any after school activities until my grades are better. Especially my Japanese. So I better just get on to class."

""Gahahrahrhahahaha."

Everything sort of shifted around them again, this time without her even falling asleep first. It happened so suddenly, it gave her a weird dizzy sensation of vertigo! "Oooh... I DO want to play, but I jus-"

""Gahahrahrhahahaha."

"I just CAN'T. Wow, you guys really have a huge budget for your clu-"

""Gahahrahrhahahaha."

"...club?"

There is was! The guy dressed in the monster costume! Except, it was big. Really, REALLY big! Way bigger than any normal costume! Manami couldn't help but swallow and take a quick step behind Daiki. For something in a play, the special effects were disturbingly realistic.

"That's the Ul-dah...A level 15 Yōkai...Well, I can handle this thing on my own." Daiki said.

Daiki's eyes were now both glowing red. Manami had no way of seeing this first hand, as he was facing the demon.

"Gahahrahrhahahaha."

The demon tried to strike at him but Daiki proved to be a very slippery fish to catch with each movement, he dodged the monster. It growled once again.

"Stay back. This fucker is hungry and not very playful." Daiki said to Manami.

It struck at them both several more times, once again failing. Daiki then grabbed Manami and slung her over his shoulder as he ran towards the high school building. He then leaped from windowsill to windowsill.

"Sorry for the bumpy ride. Not used to trying protect someone and fight a demon at the same time." He said as he placed her on the middle of the roof.

He glanced the beast in the eye, he then placed the purple and red mask hanging over his left eye fully over his face. It looked like a tribal mask the Native Americans would
have used to chase evil spirits away.

"Here he comes. Stay back."

Daiki then walked forward to face the slobbering demon as it came climbing up the side of the school.

"I have been called the man of many faces, an outsider, an alchemist of words. However, I am and always will be the man who stands for understanding and knowledge of a better world to come!" He chanted, "By the rights of Benkei, I summon the Alkahest Slasher."

A long katakana like sword was now in Daiki's hand. He then moved the mask to cover the left side of his face again.

The beast, then slapped Daiki with one of it's hands and then strecthed to reach for the fresh smelling Manami.

"Shit!!!!!!!!" Daiki shouted as he was smacked to the hard cement floor. However, he quickly got back to his feet and ran towards the young woman.

"Gakk...." He then groaned. Daiki stood in the way of the beast's long arm as it attempted to grab for Manami. The beast's claws dug their way through Daiki's soft flesh. Manami then looked on in horror as the claws came poking out the young man's back. Blood came flowing out of him.

"Al-dah....Hahaha. Is that the best you can do?" Daiki mocked. Daiki then slammed the blade right through the entrapped arm of the beast. It bellowed in pain as the weapon completely severed the limb off. It quickly started to turn into a black smog, disappearing into the air.

Running towards the demon with all his might the heavy sword then struck at Al-dah's head. It was over. The demon's head fell to the ground and turned into smog like the arm did...

Owlmageddon comes. Ò◇Ó

"Heeeeey, short skirts aren't meant for this kind of running arooooound!" Manami was trying to listen and pay attention to what was going on. Well, besides the realistically creepy monster and the getting carried away part. She didn't want to miss a moment of the play!

...But while Daiki was slashing and slicing, and that monster was roaring and chomping. ...it didn't look so much like a play anymore!

The smoggy stuff floating away on the wind, as Manami had her hands covering her mouth and her eyes as wide as saucers.

That's when she squealed.

"OMIGAWDTHATWASSOOOOOOCOOL!" It was SCARY and ACTIONY and BLOODY! Really, bloody! She stopped her squealing for a minute to move and poke Daiki's chest. "Hey, did you get hit for real? Maybe we should visit the nurse's office."

"Don't poke me. I'm not a touchy feelie type of guy." He said, "Yes, I got hit. Luckily, he missed all the vital organs."

Daiki then placed his hand over gut. He felt warm blood still flowing through the cuts the demon had given him. He then sighed. "I guess it'll take longer to heal than I thought. Eh, everyone knows I am reckless at times. Are you alright?" He asked.

The young man than knelt done on the ground trying to catch his breath. "Speaking of which. What's your name again? I know you're the transfer student but that's about it."

Owlmageddon comes. Ò◇Ó

"I'm Manami! Didn't you already know?" Now she couldn't remember if she told him or not. Normally she told her name right off the bat and introduced herself!

She tilted her head, not seeming all that convinced that he was unharmed. That was some pretty fancy fighting scene, and even professionals could have accidents.

"I'm okay, but you don't look so good." She moved to grab something out of her pack, but realized she left it at the school! Drats. "I need you need a doctor. How about we go visit one anyway, and I'll get you some ice cream too? Then you can tell me more about the play!"

"I'll pass on the doctors. The ones around here are quacks anyways." Daiki said, "This is one of those things that'll just take a little bit of time to heal that's all. I'm an Oimeri after all. I was created by the Organization to fight the Yōkai."

He then stopped there. Daiki couldn't believe that this girl was still naive enough to believe she was in a play. The world she knew was gone, she now belonged to this parallel realm. Though her apparent innocence was a welcomed change. He generally didn't like showing compassion for humans but for now, he'd let it fly until he could deliver her to the Organization.

"Okay. Let's forget what I said... I guess I can agree to go see a doctor. Just make sure it isn't a long walk."

He then took off his mask and the world around them reverted back to the way Manami would have remembered it. Much like last time, he couldn't make it stick around forever.

Owlmageddon comes. Ò◇Ó

"Is it that bad?" As he took off the mask, everything looked normal again. This time she seemed to put the action of it together with the way everything looked. Manami opened her mouth to ask about it, but he really was bleeding pretty bad.

She took his arm and started marching him back to the school and off to the doctor's office. He probably needed a hospital or clinic, but he said short walk. The school was the closest place there.

"So, lets introduce each other the right way, okay? I'm Manami Shinobu. Obviously, I'm not from Japan! Well, my Papa is. But I so didn't grow up here. We visited a couple times, but he just got a really good job in his hometown so now we're living here again. I'm having some problems with school, right? But oooooh I love the fashion scene! Japanese models are super cute! I kind of would like to design clothes or maybe be a fashion model too. But acting in the drama club is starting to look really fun." she paused to look at the blood again.

"Um... well. Fun when you're not getting ripped to pieces. What was it called again? Ur-duh? I'm thinking that thing was pretty real."

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2aJ5pBjhfg"]YouTube- 24 Fate/Stay Night OST ~ Fuji-nee no Theme triple-time ver.[/ame]Daiki wanted to roll his eyes. Besides for the "doll" that he normally worked with, Daiki had no real love for small talk and he knew from this point out, this girl had the gift of the gab.

"Introductions, eh? My name is Takashashi, Daiki. I've lived in Japan for as long as I can remember. I don't have much to say about my parents because I haven't seen them in years. School is a waste of time, so I do all my lessons at home and still pass with flying colors. I guess Japanese models are cute but I honestly like Koreans a little bit more... Err...Yeah, Japanese models, oh, so cute..."

He paused when Manami looked at his blood stained shirt.

"This will be a laugh, as soon as she opens the door to the nurse's office, the nurse will be OMFG! when she sees the blood. I'll show nurse that my wounds have fully healed and just say Manami here just got a little too paranoid because she refused to believe me when I said it was just paint." He thought to himself.

"Yeah, it's all fun and games until the demons show up...And its name was Ul-dah. My bosses come up with weird names for the bad guys. Don't ask me why."

Owlmageddon comes. Ò◇Ó

"That's such a bad name for him. I think he looked more like a Skeladaimon or something!" So it was a demon? Real even? The thought kind of freaked her out. All the way down to the pit of her stomach. But with Daiki bleeding so bad, and since the monster was gone everything was okay now. It was like knowing you just saw a ghost in a creepy house, but that you're not going back there.

Manami shuffled him all the way in the school to the nurses office, where she presented Daiki up like she had just rescued HIM from a terrible foe.

"Miss! He had a bad run in with a oodama and needs medical attention right away!" Of course, oodama wasn't "demon" like she thought, but rather "rice huller" which had the nurse standing there and looking very confused!

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